Deep Sky Object in Spring
Jupiter Nebula (NGC3242 in Hydra)


Date & Time: Mar 16 2019, from 22:36 to 22:56 JST(+0900)
Composed 10 shots with 2 minutes exposed
Optical: Meade 25cm(10") Schmidt-Cassegrain with conversion lens (f=3500mm, F14.0)
with BaaderPlanetarium Moon&Skyglow filter
Auto-guided with Meade LX200 Equatorial & Pictor 201XT
Digital Camera: Canon EOS 6D (Remodeled)
Location: Ooizumi, Hokuto city, Yamanashi pref.

Camera Settings: Recording Format...14bit CCD-RAW, converted to 16bit TIFF(1528×1528)
Device Size...10×10mm, Sensitivity...ISO3200


NGC3242 / Planetary Nebula, type IIIb+IV
R.A.10h 24m 48.0s (2000.0)
Dec.-18° 38' 00" (2000.0)
Apparent Size40×35"
Real Size0.37×0.32 light yrs.
Magnitude9.0
Distance1890 light yrs.
NGC3242 is a small but bright planetary nebula just locates mu Hydrae at the middle of constellation then move south about 2 degrees. Elliptical gaseous region and a bit dark round nebula in the exterior surround a dark central star. This planetary nebula is often called "The Jupiter Nebula" because of its slight resemblance.
The nebula has a visual magnitude of 9 but a high surface contrast, clearly visible even in small telescopes. Trying to appreciate the inner ellipse could prove difficult, large telescopes should show the object as resembling a bluish eye with the central dwarf star the pupil. A dead star about 1900 light years away formed this nebula.



NGC3132
NGC4361

Copyright(c) 2019 by Naoyuki Kurita, All rights reserved.
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